When Apples Farmers grow…So does New York’s economy!

My son Michael and my Daughter Marianna picking apples during a visit to the orchard earlier this year!

Ever since I was a little boy growing up in the City of Schenectady, I remember visiting the apple orchard with my parents. Apples always tasted best when we picked them ourselves; A tradition I carry on to this day, as I visit our local orchards with my children.

It was the perfect place to appreciate nature, fresh foods and the farm experience my parents remembered from their childhood. I was actually able to find this old picture from my father’s childhood on the farm in the Province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. A moment captured in time!

A moment captured in time: My father as a child and his baby sister on the farm in Italy!

Ask anyone about some of his or her favorite things about Upstate New York and you’ll undoubtedly get a response that includes apples. Whether you’re enjoying a slice of homemade apple pie, a mug of hot cider or a day spent picking them with family, apples and the fall season go hand-in-hand in the Empire State.

In the New York State Assembly, we want to ensure our local apple growers and farmers statewide can thrive; and I’m working to help pass meaningful laws to help them. One of the new laws I supported creates a license for farm cideries that’s similar to those already offered to farm wineries, breweries and distilleries. It authorizes the production and sale of cider made solely from crops grown in New York State and excludes licensed farm cideries from sales tax information filing requirements.

The law will help New York’s farm cideries draw tourists and increase profitability by enabling the cideries to sell and offer tastings of cider, beer, wine and spirits, in addition to sauces, jams, souvenirs, artwork, crafts and other products. Only allowing New York grown apples to be used for the cider, increases demand and profits for our many agricultural entrepreneurs. This comes as great news for families in Upstate New York, because when our farmers thrive, so does our economy!

To further help our state’s vital apple industry, I also worked to secure funding in the state budget for the New York State Apple Growers Association. This funding goes a long way toward helping farmers across the state bounce back after last year’s disappointing growing season.

The state budget also funded several important agricultural programs including the Farm Viability Institute, New York Wine and Grape Foundation, Maple Producers Association and Pro Dairy Program.

Earlier this year, I also sponsored legislation to create the “Shop: Pride of New York” and “Dine: Pride of New York” programs, to promote stores and restaurants that sell or serve New York-based produce and goods. And I’m continuing my efforts to implement a Farm-to-Senior program aimed at facilitating the purchase of these products by senior centers and other institutions for the aging.

By working to develop agricultural initiatives like these, we can help give our hardworking farmers the resources they need to keep making the products that New Yorkers and tourists alike have come to love and depend on. Economically healthy farms are critical not just for farmers, but for all New Yorkers; Strong agriculture ensures access to fresh, healthy foods for all of us!